Apple has introduced the public to a fair amount of new products recently, but one rumored device that is still noticeably absent is the iPad Air 3.

People have been waiting to see this rumored tablet since last year, and yet, Apple has not even hinted that it is coming out anytime soon.

There's a pretty good chance that the rumored tablet misses out on 2016 altogether, but what are the odds that it finally shows up next year?

Notably, a recent report from Bloomberg hinted that an updated version of the iPad Pro could be launched next year, but there was no clear indication that other tablets may be released as well, and unfortunately, that's been the norm lately for the iPad Air 3.

Uncertainty has continually plagued the rumored tablet throughout this year, and it has led many people to wonder if Apple is even planning to release an updated Air tablet.

As PC Advisor UK pointed out, there's a chance that the spot that would have been reserved for the iPad Air 3 may have already been taken up by a different tablet, with that being the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. It's worth noting that both the iPad Air 2 and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro feature similarly-sized displays and are marketed to the same group of potential buyers, so this bit of speculation does make sense.

Perhaps Apple opting not to update the iPad Air tablet lineup last year was already a sign of what they had planned for it. Maybe the decision not to previously update the lineup was already Apple's way of saying that the tablet lineup was being discontinued and the release of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro earlier this year was the company introducing its replacement.

For now at least, things are not looking too good for the iPad Air 3 and there's a chance that it may not be released this year or even next year.